Running for Change
by OveractiveMuse
Summary: A late meeting means an even later run where she runs into someone she thought she would never see again.- A quick one-shot:


I knew I was running late. My meeting with Gabriel's parents had gone so much longer than I had expected. I hated it when parents felt the need to air all their personal issues during a conference. I was not a shirk. I couldn't help parents fix their dissolving marriages. I am a teacher and the point of a parent -teacher conference was not the parents or the teacher but how the two could work together to help their child. Most of Gabriel's behavioral issues were abundantly clear to me within a minute of meeting his parents. I knew that I would find little support from them for their gifted but troubled son. Gabriel was failing every class that he had except for mine. We were supposed to be discussing how we could use the music abilities he had to help him in other areas, and instead his parents spent the whole time accusing the other for his issues. It took every ounce of me not to stand and scream at the two selfish people sitting across the table. I watched as Gabriel sat between them, growing more distant and angry at every moment. He kept looking at me with a pleading expression wanting me to make them stop. I did everything in my power to keep the focus on their son but was only rarely successful. As they left, Gabriel hung back at the door and hugged me, whispering, "Thanks for trying Ms. Swan. I know you did your best." I looked sadly down into his small face with an expression far too serious and severe for a ten year old and said, "I'm sorry Gabe. I will keep trying, okay? I'm going to talk to Mrs. Copeland again tomorrow." I had had a feeling that this meeting was not going to go well, but my principal had insisted on it before we attempted something more drastic. Before I left work I drafted an email to my boss and Gabe's classroom teacher that I would reread in the morning before sending it. Then I grabbed the note reading worksheets I needed to grade, stuffed them into my grading folder and then into my work bag before grabbing my sweater, purse and keys. Finally, I moved to the door, turned off the lights and locked up.

All the way home, I couldn't help but think about Gabriel's situation. I was struggling to find a solution to help this child. He was brilliant. He could play the piano almost instinctively. He was already writing his own compositions. He reminded me of a young Edward or at least what I had imagined Edward would have been like as a child raised in modern times. As I pulled into my driveway, I hoped that I could clear my head on my run. The sun was already lower than I had planned on. I was wary to be out after the sun went down in New York. I knew better than most what kinds of things lingered in the shadows. I had seen two vampires since I had moved to New York City and was not keen to encounter any more.

I ran inside, threw off my dress flats and found my jogging clothes. I quickly changed, threw my hair up into a looped ponytail and pulled my running shoes on. As I finally got down the block and entered the park the sun was already touching the skyline. It was almost twilight and I pushed my pace as I stretched, spending less time than I knew I should. I then started up my ipod, found my running mix and began running down the smooth dirt path that I frequented. I pushed myself faster than normal so that I could complete my run slightly quicker than normal. I knew I was going to pay for it tomorrow, but I had no desire to be here at twilight. As soon as the path head was out of view, I felt something very strange. It felt like someone was watching me. I looked around, guarded and careful but could find no one. Part of me wanted to believe that it was just the discomfort with being out later than normal but another part of me was warning me to turn around and go back the way I had come. I shook it off after a moment, determined to keep up my routine and began to move again. As I ran and the sun sank down further the feeling intensified in proportion to how much of the sun remained over the horizon. I finally reached the end of the path when the sun was just a quarter sphere. I wasn't going to make it back before the sun went down. I turned, moved faster and began my return trip. I was completely freaked out now. I could feel the eyes burrowing into me. I was starting to fear that I wasn't imagining things. The something not quite human was stalking me. I moved past a large pack of joggers headed the other direction. As I turned slightly to watch them a moment longer, I saw the sun sink past the horizon completely. A few footfalls later, I heard a branch crack and my whole body tensed, as a huge shot of adrenaline course through my veins. In my peripheral vision, I saw him for the first time in years. The ghostly shadow frantically whispered, "Bella, you need to run – now!" I listened to him for once, knowing I was in danger. I pushed my body as quickly as I could, sprinting towards the entrance of the park, staying on the now lit path, knowing that someone else seeing me was the only thing that would keep me safe. Without seeing my pursuer, I knew what was chasing me. It was the only thing that instilled this kind of fear- a vampire. He was still there urging me on, growing more frantic with every word. Then a horrified look came over my hallucination's face as he choked out, "I'm sorry my love," while two hands wrapped around me, dragging me into the dense trees. I tried to scream but a cold hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the sound. Behind me, a voice growled out, "I'm sorry, you just smell too good. I'll make it quick." The arms turned me to face him, agony burned in the dark red eyes. A flash of something crossed them before they went blank. I knew in that instant I was dead. I looked at the face as it bent down to bite my neck and cried when my brain finally put together what I was seeing. I choked out, "Please, Edward," as his teeth sunk through my flesh, ripping the artery so close to the surface. He took one draw before he put his hand to my neck, and reason came back to his beautiful face. He looked at me in horror. Then the bite began to burn and I sank into unconsciousness, the last thing I heard was his voice frantically saying, "Bella! Love? Oh God, no, please, no! Oh my love, I'm so sorry."

The burn was all I could feel. If this was what hell felt like, I was going to haunt the pastor who had once assured me that salvation was all I needed for heaven. After a long time, I began to be able to think beyond the pain. I was able to hear things around me. At first, all I could hear was breathing and my frantic heartbeat. Then, his voice brokenly saying, "Bella, I wish there was more that I could do than say I'm sorry." Then another voice that I recognized said, "Edward, you need to tell her the truth. It will work out. She needs you now." I heard retreating footsteps and wanted to call out to Alice, to have her stay but I knew that if I opened my mouth, I would scream. Instead I listened to Edward breathe. Exactly eighteen breaths later, he said, "Love, there is so much to tell you. I know you're probably confused and I know you are in so much pain. I would make the burning go away if I could. I bit you and we could not get the venom out. You're changing into a vampire, love. I will never forgive myself for doing this to you sweetheart. I will understand if you want nothing to do with me once I finish talking to you. Bella, the most important thing you need to know now is that despite everything I have put you through, I love you." He broke down crying. I was shocked. He loved me? Could I believe him? Which did I want to believe? I knew deep down that every ounce of me wanted him to love me. I desperately wanted the past six years to have been a nightmare that I was getting ready to wake up from. "Bella, I lied that day in the forest. When I told you that I didn't love you, it was the blackest form of blasphemy.I knew you were never going to let me go and I was desperate to keep you safe. Having us in your life was placing you in danger all the time. I couldn't let you die because of me. I needed you to be safe and so I lied and left you. It was the hardest thing I've ever done." He placed his hand in mine and I gently squeezed it. Instantly I was in his arms, cradled safely against his chest as he murmured, "I promise not to leave your side again, unless you order me away, my love. You are the reason for my existence and I never want to be without you again." The coolness of his flesh took some of the edge from the burn. Everything in me wanted to believe him but I didn't trust him or myself. I felt a cool hand on my forehead that didn't belong to Edward, a split second before I heard, "Edward, you need to explain why your eyes are red. Right now, that will be the first thing she asks you when she wakes. She is listening right now. Bella, don't let him off too easy." With that, her hand was gone. A new softness entered his voice, "Bella, my eyes are red because I wanted to do whatever I could to protect you. At first, I was hunting down criminals who were around you, until I realized that every girl was someone's Bella and began to protect people. I was never able to stray too far from you. Finally, two months ago, Carlisle found me. I could read the disappointment in his thoughts and remembered why I had stopped before. He made me realize that you wouldn't want me hunting humans either. I stopped but did not want to hunt. Then I smelled the sweetest blood. My body had forgotten the intensity of your scent and I lost control. I didn't even realize that it was you until you said my name. Bella- " The burn was moving, focusing on my heart and I arched my back in pain. Edward held me and said, "Love, only a few moments more. " I felt my heart speed up and my limbs cool. My heart raced until it felt like a hum. Then it stuttered, beat two normal beats and stopped forever. I opened my eyes to see his staring back into mine, full of love.

I looked up at him sternly and said, "Never leave me again." He brushed my cheek with his hand and reverently whispered, "Never." Then I allowed my face to soften as I said, "Edward, I love you." I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought my lips to his, kissing him for the first time without limits. I loved him and though there would be tough conversations, hurt, and pain to get through, we would get through it together.


End file.
